Do you ever find yourself scrolling through Netflix for your next binge? Have you already watched all of the shows that are popular on the streaming site? Then do I have the show for you. The 10-episode first season of Santa Clarita Diet just premiered on Friday, February 3, and stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant.
This show is about your typical cookie-cutter family who live at the end of a cul-de-sac in a California suburb, the only thing is one member of the family is no longer satisfied by green juices, unless it includes a few fingers blended in.
* Warning, unless you like to be completely unaware of plot or possible spoilers, jump straight to Netflix and start watching, otherwise you can continue to read about this juicy new show.
Sheila (Barrymore) has become complacent with life and her interactions are met with the enthusiasm of a zombie. It seems like this attitude has caught up with her when she undergoes a rather grotesque transformation, a.k.a. copious amounts of vomit. The ordeal though leaves her more alive than she has been in years, the catch? She doesn't have a heartbeat, or a need for sleep, but does suddenly have a taste for raw meat.
If you catch where this is going, corpses and guts are among the theme in this rare comedy, and as someone who doesn't care for such elements, I still found the show to be more than enjoyable. Between a star-studded cast and outlandish situations, you will be laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all.
Joel (Olyphant) is her husband and real estate partner who is ready to support his wife's new condition, even if that means killing people. The whole predicament seems to look up when they agree to only kill bad people, but that is harder said than done in such a nice community.
After the first kill, the lies and secrets pile up to astronomical heights but this picture perfect family remains composed in front of neighbors and friends. This new lease on life, or rather death, brings both Sheila, Joel and their daughter Abby (Liv Hewson) closer together and teaches viewers to take control of their lives and escape the zombie lifestyle.
In other reviews, I have read that this show has been described as "Dexter meets Desperate Housewives," and I wouldn't disagree. There is just a lot more humor in this show than I can remember in either of the prior. The script is well written and if you don't pay attention then you could miss a witty joke sandwiched between the crazy killings, or double meaning behind banal conversation.
I don't usually encourage dieting, but Santa Clarita Diet is one that almost any binger will take in stride, so set the food aside (for safe measure and weak stomachs) and get ready to laugh while also be simultaneously disgusted.
